The BBC item does not report Dr Kendall-Smith's most telling evidence that he considers the US Govt on a par with Nazi Germany, and that he has documents in his possession to support that assertion

This seems a pretty insightful and strong statement from a serving officer. and one wonders how deep he is willing to take the analogous relationship eg regarding the Reichstag

I'll have a go at tracking down a contact for him perhaps through his solicitors, and perhaps just gently prise what he thinks regarding these areas. It's pretty sure the STW are already after him for future platforms

Yesterday, he told the court martial at Aldershot: "I have evidence that the Americans were on a par with Nazi Germany with its actions in the Persian gulf. I have documents in my possession which support my assertions. This is on the basis that ongoing acts of aggression in Iraq and systematically applied war crimes provide a moral equivalent between the US and Nazi Germany."
Flt Lt Kendall-Smith said he considered the war in Iraq to be the equivalent of an "imperial invasion and occupation". He said he was extremely disturbed by America's "imperial campaign of military conquest", which was in direct conflict with his duties.
He added: "It struck me as incongruous and disturbing that the US air force published the phrase 'global power for America' on their documentation during the conflict. I found that the phrase 'global power for America' was imperial." Asked by David Perry, prosecuting counsel, whether he really believed that the actions of US forces in Iraq were comparable to those of the Third Reich, Flt Lt Kendall-Smith replied: "On the basis of active aggression and systematically applied war crimes, serious violations of international law - yes."

His solicitor is Justin Hugheston-Roberts, who is chairman of Forces Law, a nationwide group of 22 law firms which acts for service personnel and their families.

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It would be good to write to Dr Kendall-Smith to show moral support, as military prisons are very harsh.

What this government will never understand is that honorable people like Dr Kendall-Smith become doctors to save lives, and not to embark on their illegal and immoral wars. People like him will never stoop down to their levels. He is a fine example to all that he is prepared to stand up to these Nazis, at the cost of his own liberty._________________Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley

To Dr Kendall-Smith
Thankyou for your brave action over refusing to participate in the
criminal mayhem that is Iraq
It can be harder to stand up for the truth than let yourself be taken back
to that situation where your life, those of your comrades, and those of
the civilian population are worthless
Yor analogy of the US being on a par with Nazi Germany is absolutely correct
Didn't George W's grandfather provide a conduit for US funds to build the
Nazi war machine? And the grandson is playing out that scenario again in
the middle-east, and ultimately throughout the world
What brilliant testimony you gave in court regarding the Bush-Nazi analogy
Nuremburg findings demonstrate you had to do what you have done
Thankyou for risking your own liberty in the cause of truth and justice
On the Nazi theme , do you have any opinions on the Reichstag fire? Do you
think history has repeated itself?
Best wishes and looking forward to your release

Prisoner of conscience: RAF doctor who refused Iraq service is jailed
Doctor. RAF officer. And now war criminal. Flt Lt Malcolm Kendall-Smith was yesterday jailed for refusing to serve in Iraq
By Kim Sengupta
Published: 14 April 2006
An RAF doctor who refused to serve in Iraq because he believed the war to be illegal was jailed for eight months yesterday.

The conviction and imprisonment of Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith, the first member of the armed forces to be charged with disobeying orders to deploy in Iraq, has provoked widespread condemnation. Anti-war groups declared that a man who had shown great moral courage and acted according to his conscience was being pilloried for his beliefs.

MPs said that the high-profile case illustrated the "legal quagmire" created by Tony Blair's decision to follow George Bush and take part in the conflict.

Kendall-Smith's lawyers said they had received more than 500 messages of support, many of them from serving and former members of the forces.

Bitter accusations and recriminations dominated the trial, which took place at Aldershot barracks. At an earlier hearing, Assistant Judge Advocate Jack Bayliss had ruled the doctor could not use the defence that in refusing military orders he had acted according to his conscience. The judge maintained that the US and British forces were now in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government.

Judge Advocate Bayliss also refused to allow the defence to call as witnesses, among others, Ben Griffin, a member of the SAS who resigned from the Army because he believed the Iraq war was illegal and who refused to serve alongside US forces because of the excesses they committed. Also barred was an Iraqi doctor who had flown to Britain to describe his experience of what has happened to the country following the invasion.

During the hearing Kendall-Smith repeatedly expressed his view that an order for him to deploy to Basra was illegal. He also described the actions of the Americans in Iraq as being akin to the Nazis.

It took the military jury of five RAF officers just one hour and 28 minutes to find Kendall-Smith guilty on all five charges of disobeying orders.

Judge Advocate Bayliss accused Kendall-Smith, a former university tutor of moral philosophy, of "amazing arrogance" and seeking to be a "martyr". The sentence was intended to make an example of him and serve as a warning to others in the forces.

"Obedience of orders is at the heart of any disciplined force. Refusal to obey orders means the force is not a disciplined force but a rabble. Those who wear the Queen's uniform cannot pick and choose which orders they will obey. Those who seek to do so must face the serious consequences," he said.

"We have considered carefully whether it would be sufficient to dismiss you from the Royal Air Force and fine you as well. We do not think that we could possibly be justified in taking such a lenient course. It would send a message to all those who wear the Queen's uniform that it does not matter if they refuse to carry out the policy of Her Majesty's government."

A spokeswoman for the Royal Air Force Prosecuting Authority said: "It is right that Flt Lt Kendall-Smith was prosecuted for disobeying legal orders. British troops are operating in Iraq under a United Nations mandate and at the invitation of the Iraqi government."

As well as the sentence, which will be served in a civilian prison, Kendall-Smith was ordered to pay £20,000 towards his defence costs which were covered by legal aid. The court heard that he had personal savings of £20,000. His solicitor, Justin Hughston-Roberts said the intention was to appeal against both conviction and sentence.

Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on defence, said "Hostility to the war is not just confined to the public at large, many members of the armed forces share their concern and have genuine moral objections to serving in Iraq.

"This case illustrates the legal quagmire that has developed over the Government's decision to go to war. The Government has repeatedly had to hunt around to find legal justification for this war."

The former Labour MP Tam Dalyell said: "Any servicemen has obligations, but a doctrine was laid down at Nuremberg [trials of Nazis for war crimes] that when orders seem to be a crime against humanity, it was not a sufficient excuse to say simply: 'They were orders and I was doing what I was told.'"

Kate Hudson, chairwoman of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: "Many people believe the war in Iraq was an illegal war and therefore we would consider he was quite within his rights and it was indeed commendable he believed it was right to stand up to what he considered to be an illegal instruction to engage in an illegal war. We have full sympathy for him and he has our full support. We consider it to be a commendable and moral act."

Lindsey German, convener for the Stop the War Coalition, said: "The majority of public opinion agree this war was not based on international law."

Why he sacrificed his career and his liberty

"I have been convicted and sentenced, a very distressing experience. But I still believe I was right to make the stand that I did and refuse to follow orders to deploy to Iraq - orders I believe were illegal. I am resigned to what may happen to me in the next few months. I shall remain resilient and true to my beliefs which, I believe, are shared by so many others."

"Iraq was the only reason I could not follow the order to deploy. As a commissioned officer, I am required to consider every order given to me. Further, I am required to consider the legality of such an order not only as to its effect on domestic but also international law. I was subjected, as was the entire population, to propaganda depicting force against Iraq to be lawful. I have studied in very great depth the various commentaries and briefing notes, including one prepared by the Attorney General, and in particular the main note to the PM dated 7 March 2003. I have satisfied myself that the actions of the armed forces with the deployment of troops were an illegal act - as indeed was the conflict. To comply with an order that I believe unlawful places me in breach of domestic and international law, something I am not prepared to do."

"The invasion and occupation of Iraq is a campaign of imperial military conquest and falls into the category of criminal acts. I would have had criminal responsibility vicariously if I had gone to Iraq. I still have two great loves in life - medicine and the RAF. To take the decision that I did caused great sadness, but I had no other choice."_________________All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing - Edmund Burke.
Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem Americanam appellant - Tacitus Redactus.

Another great Engishman, the composer Michael Tippett, went to prison rather than break his pacificist principles in WWII.

I have always respected pacificsts but thought them mistaken; since my 911 relevation I have begun to think that wars are started by governments with the sole aim of exploiting from the massive injection of cash into the armaments industry and the opportunity to enact draconian legislation that increases the power of the few over the many.

911 (and possibly 7/7 also) truth changes the whole way we see the world.

Does anybody have a contact address for Judge Advocate Bayliss? I'd certainly like to write to this * and tell him what I think of him and the policies of Her Majesty's Government._________________Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley

In May 2003 Tam Dalyell was accused of anti-Semitism, after claiming, in an interview with the American Vanity Fair magazine, that Tony Blair was unduly influenced by a "cabal of Jewish advisers", specifically naming Lord Levy, Peter Mandelson (who is not Jewish but has a Jewish father) and Jack Straw (who is not Jewish either but has a Jewish great-grandfather). He denied that the remarks were anti-Semitic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tam_Dalyell#Career

Anyone got his contact details, as he must be out of jail by now?
PM me, don't post it publicly._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

I'll try to follow up before too long (I'll be retiring this Saturday, so I'll have more time).
A cursory look at some previous posts (I completely forgot what it was all about) seems to indicate he'll be very wary of further involvement or even providing info._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

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